Vending machine casing



June 16, 1936. B. W. FRY

VENDING MACHINE CASING Filed May 6, 1935 ArroB/vEY Patented June 16, 1936 STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to vending machines and more particularly to a novel manner of displaying goods therein so as to increase the attractiveness and pulling power of the same.

The invention has among its objects the production of a vending machine which shall be neat and attractive in appearance, simple and sturdy in construction, and otherwise satisfactory and efiicient for the uses for which the device is intended.

One of the principal objects of my invention is to provide a display compartment for the device, through which the goods within the casing may be viewed, and whose construction is such that the various display cards relating to the goods being vended are removable and lie in a plane oblique to the horizontal plane so as to be easily visible by a customer standing in front of the device, and there being a glass cover plate over and across said compartment in front of said cards, this glass also extending obliquely but at an angle different than that of said cards, so that there will be no reflection of the customers image therein, nor glare of any kind, and hence the cards and the vendible goods are most clearly displayed within said compartment.

Another object of the invention is to: provide means for adjustably engaging the top and bottom edges of said glass plate to prevent accidental movement of the same. A further object of the invention is to provide decorative and reinforcing strips for the casing, the same being so constructed with cut-outs to receive mirrors, sign plates or the like, therein, and clamp the latter to the casing as the strips are tightened into place, so that separate fasteners need not be extended through such mirrors or signs.

Many other objects and advantages of the construction herein shown and described will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains, as will be apparent from the disclosures herein given.

To this end my invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described, as will be more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing, wherein like reference characters indicate like or corresponding parts throughout the views,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a door of a vending machine; and

Figure 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken through the same.

Referring more particularly to the drawing,

' wherein I have illustrated the preferred embodiment of my invention, there is shown one of the upright walls of a vending machine casing, as for example a door A. Although not limited to the vending of packaged cigarettes, the door shown is intended for a cigarette vending machine, and the packages are preferably stacked or superimposed on one another in vertical tiers, and with the revenue stamps on the packages placed foremost so as to be visible from without the casing by the purchaser prior to operating the vending machine. The usual coin slots for either cigarettes or the matches are to be found onthe door, but mere reference thereto is sufficient explanation for the instant invention.

In order to decorate the casing structure and in addition reinforce the same, I have provided strips l extending longitudinally on the exterior surface of said door, and preferably of color or finish noticeably contrasting with that of the door itself. A sign plate 2 indicating the kind of goods obtainable from the machine may be placed upon the door, and in order to heighten the attractiveness of the mechanism as a whole, a mirror 3 may beemployed. The plate 2 and mirror 3 may be held firmly in place without special fastening means therethrough, and hence there will be no added possibility of breakage or other injury to said parts as usually come through fasteners. For such securement, I have provided cut-outs l8 in the strips I, of sufiicient depth to accommodate the thickness of the sign plate or mirror, respectively, and wherein the latter may be received. In this manner, when the fastening screws or bolts I! securing the strips to the casing are tightened, the sign plate and the mirror will be firmly clamped against the exterior surface of said door and thus held against accidental displacement.

An opening 4 is provided adjacent the lower end of the door, and through which the contents of the machine may be viewed prior to purchase, and in this particular instance the opening is of such height that two packages'of cigarettes are visible when the display compartment is assembled, and the desired brands of cigarettes are arranged lengthwise of the opening. Although the individual brands of the cigarettes are visible when the packages are displayed endwise, yet this portion of the package is small and hence is not easily read, especially when the lighting in the vicinity is bad. The faces of such packages are in reality the distinguishing parts of the same, and even children and those unable to read can perfectly select a predetermined brand from among other brands, if they have have an opportunity of seeing the package fronts. For this reason, I have provided a display compartment wherein the several package fronts or facsimiles thereof may be displayed in a manner most easily visible and distinguishable.

This display window or compartment may be arranged adjacent the opening 4 so as to project forwardly therebeyond, and comprises a frame F, a plate glass or other transparent plate 5 fitting across the front thereof, an upper plate holder or guard 6, and a lower display card holder 1 which additionally serves as an abutment against the lower edge of the glass. The frame F extends obliquely downwardly and forwardly from adjacent the upper edge of said opening l toward the lower edge of the same, thus bringing the lower edge well in advance of the front surface of the door thereat, and the bottom wall 8 of the" frame is secured to the lower portion of the door, somewhat as shown. The obliquely directed face of the frame is preferably at such an angle that it will not refleet light or images into the eyes of the customers of average height who stand in front of the same, and it has been found that an angle of approximately 60 with the horizontal plane is a fairly good angle to use for the purpose.

The glass or other closure plate 5 is arranged against the frame at substantially the oblique angle hereinbefore stated. An element angleshaped in transverse cross-section, as indicated by the upper guard 6 has one leg or angle engageable with the rear surface of the glass plate, and the other leg superimposed on the rear surface of the door wall, and is adjustably maintained in position by screws 9 extending through elongated openings 10 through the angle member 6. Thus, movement of said element will be possible to adjust its contact with the upper portion of the plate of glass.

The display card holder 1 is arranged adjacent the lower edge of the opening 4, extending forwardly and downwardly obliquely towards the lower forward edge of the frame F, the plane of said holder making an angle of approximately degrees with the horizontal plane. Card compartments or frames are provided in the card holder so as to provide a separated compartment for the respective individual brands, there being printed or otherwise made fronts or cards I l removably arranged within said holder.

The forward edge of said holder is provided with a downturned flange I2 adapted to rest on the bottom 8 of the frame F, and is slidable forwardly or rearwardly to the desired contact with the edge of the plate glass. Screws [3, cooperating with elongated apertures l4, provide an adjustment for the adjustability of the plate or card holder relative to the glass.

At the rear of the frame F there are side upright flanges l5 spaced from the inner surface of the door to permit of the plate glass to pass therebetween at said place when assembling or for replacement of glass, and a bottom flange [6 is provided to support the rear end of the card holder, there being sufficient space between the adjacent surfaces of said flanges l5 and IE to permit passage of said card holder into place between the two.

With the cards H thus positioned and the glass closure thus arranged, the average customer when standing in front of the machine will have his eyes quite a distance above the display compartment, as the latter will hardly come to his mid-height, and in this position the identifying cards II will be substantially entirely visible at the best angle for positive and rapid identification, even under poor lighting conditions.

Having thus described my invention, it is obviously that various immaterial changes may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of my invention; hence I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to the exact form, arrangement, construction or cornbination of parts herein shown and described, except as limited by the state of the art to which this invention appertains, or the claims hereunto appended.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

i. In a merchandising mechanism having an opening through which merchandise within the mechanism is visible, a display compartment on said mechanism at said opening and comprising a frame secured to said mechanism and extending forwardly of the same, a transparent plate extending obliquely and forwardly in said frame and engaging the latter, an angle member secured to said mechanism behind said frame and adjacent the top edge of said opening to adjustably engage the upper edge of said plate to hold the latter in engagement with said frame, and a card holder extending obliquely from said opening to the bottom of said frame at an angle different than that of said plate and having a forward flange to engage the bottom of said mechanism.

2. In a vending machine casing having a sight opening through its wall, a display compartment at said opening and comprising a frame extending obliquely forwardly from adjacent the top to the bottom of said opening, a glass plate across the front of said frame, an angle element adjustably secured to said casing with one flange engaging the upper edge of said plate, a removable card holder slidably insertible into said frame and having a downwardly extending forward flange to rest on the bottom of said frame and engage the lower edge of said plate and having guideways therein for removably receiving display cards, said holder also extending downwardly and obliquely forwardly into said compartment but at an angle less than that of said glass with the horizontal plane, and means for holding said holder in said engagement with said plate.

BENJAMIN W. FRY. 

